In the manufacture of optical glass fibers, it is commonplace to apply a coating system comprising one or more coating materials to optical fiber which is drawn from a vertically suspended preform. A typical coating material is a UV curable acrylate material. This coating material can be packaged in a variety of high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic containers ranging in size from one (1) pint to fifty-five (55) gallons, more specifically in one (1) quart to thirty (30) gallons. After the coating material in a container has been consumed, disposal is provided for the container. As a result of typical handling procedures for optical fiber coating materials, a residual amount of coating material remains in the container that is slated for disposal.
In accordance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Act of 1984, the environmental characteristics of this acrylate-based coating system cause it to be classified as a non-hazardous waste. However, the occupational health and safety aspects of handling this coating material must be considered. The potential for dermal exposure to the acrylate components of the coating material can be controlled in the workplace by providing personnel with suitable protective equipment, such as gloves, aprons, and goggles or glasses.
After the containers with the residual coating material are discarded, the task of protecting individuals who may come in contact with solid wastes which include these coating material containers becomes logistically difficult. Dermal exposure to these coatings can result in sensitization to some of the acrylate components. As a result, companies which handle these coating materials in the course of business must take appropriate measures to protect those who may encounter such discarded containers.
Historically, this problem has been overcome by the incineration of the container and any residual coating therein. Incineration of these coating materials thermally breaks down the acrylate components of the coating material into non-sensitizing constituents.
In another prior art treatment, such contaminated containers have been purged to remove any residual coating material therein. The residual coating material has been put into tubs which have been left in the sunlight to dry. The problem with such a procedure is that the radiance of the sun is daily and seasonably variable because of the relative positions of the sun and the container somewhere on earth. As a result, there is no reproducible radiation source which will assure consistently a complete cure of any residual coating material.
What is needed and what is not available in the prior art are methods for reducing the reactivity of an article having a contaminating composition of matter in engagement with at least a portion thereof and being destined for disposal. Such methods should be relatively inexpensive to implement, and, of course, should not present in and of themselves any additional environmental or occupational health problems.